Cloth guide



Aug '10, 1954 M.IPHELPS.

CLOTH GUIDE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v QINVENTOR ilzZZ/aw/lj'en; I BY (5 MATTORN Y Aug. 10, 1954 w. M. PHELPS CLOTH GUIDE Filed July 9, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR fifzzlzdmjzfeag BY @MW ATTORNEY Patented Aug.10, 1954 CLOTH GUIDE William M. Phelps, Chatsworth, Ga., assignor toChatsworth Manufacturing 00., Chatsworth,

Ga., a partnership Application July 9, 1952, Serial No. 297,809

4 Claims.

My invention relates to a cloth guiding device.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a cloth guidingapparatus or device for use with cloth finishing machines, such asbrushes, shears, winding machines and the like, the device serving toprevent lateral deviations in cloth travel while simultaneouslyspreading the cloth transversely and preventing the same from wrinklingduring its advancement.

A further object is to provide a cloth guiding device having a novel andsimplified construction, and a new mode of operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Figure l is a side elevation, partly diagrammatic, of a cloth windingmachine having my guiding device embodied therein, parts in section,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the cloth guiding device in a normal orintermediate operative position,

Figure 3 is a further plan view of the device in the operative positionfor automatically correcting or controllin lateral travel of the cloth,

Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical section on line 4-4 ofFigure 1,

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical section on line 5-5 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the cloth guiding device,and,

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of one guide rollerand holder.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of the invention, attention is directed first toFigure l which illustrates a cloth winding machine having embodiedtherein my cloth guiding device It. In the machine shown in Figure 1,cloth I l is unwound from a roll 12 and rewound upon a roll l3. A weightM provides friction for the roll I2, and one or both of windingcylinders l5 which support the roll 5 3, is positively operated forrotating the roll it. The cloth I I during its movement in the directionof the arrows engages a plurality of guide rolls It, arranged so thatthe cloth passes horizontally through the guide device ID, as shown inFigure 1. g

The guide device l0 comprises a stationary horizontal transversemounting bar [1, long enough to extend entirely across the cloth I l andsomewhat beyond the longitudinal edges thereof. Near its opposite ends,the bar I! has adapters or blocks l8 rigidly secured thereto by any suitable means. The blocks is engage the corresponding vertical sides offixed posts or uprights l9, and are rigidly secured thereto by bolts 26or the like. The posts [9 are arranged outwardly of the longitudinaledges of the cloth H and extend above the horizontal run of the cloth asshown in Figure 1, for supporting the bar H in vertically spacedrelation to the cloth.

Trunnion blocks or bearings 21 are rigidly secured to the mounting barl1 and spaced inwardly 0f the opposite longitudinal edges of the clothII for equal distances, as shown. Guide roller brackets or holders 22are arranged adjacent to the bottoms of the trunnion blocks 2| andpivotally secured thereto for free horizontal swinging movement byscrews 23 or the like, The brackets 22 are bodily mounted upon thetrunnion blocks 2| by means of the screws 23.

The brackets 22 are horizontally elongated, as shown, and includehorizontal tops 24 which underlie the stationery mounting bar ii. Thepivot screws 23 engage the brackets 22 near their inner ends 25, Figure4, and the bracket ends 25 are spaced inwardly of the longitudinal edgesof the cloth H. The brackets 22 further comprise outer depending ends26, integral therewith and spaced slightly outwardly of the longitudinaledges of the cloth H. The lower ends of the bracket ends 26 are arrangedsubstantially at the elevation of the cloth I l, Figures 4 and 7, andthe inner and outer bracket ends 25 and 26 are arranged in spacedopposed relation as shown. Spiked cylindrical guide rollers 21' arecarried by the brackets 22 and disposed horizontally beneath the brackettops 24 and between the ends 25 and 26. The rollers 21 have their endsfreely journalled upon screws 28 and 29, secured within openings formedin the bracket ends 25 and 26. The guide rollers 21 extendlongitudinally of the brackets 22 for the major portion of the lengthsof the latter, and the rollers are provided at their outer ends withintegral undercut extensions 30 forming annular shoulders 3 i. Therollers 21 are also preferably provided at their inner ends withundercut extensions 32, integral therewith and slidably contacting theadjacent bracket ends 25. The radial spikes or pins of the guide rollers27 project below the bottoms of the bracket ends 25 and 26, forpenetrating engagement with the cloth ll.

Flat horizontal blades or keepers 33 extend beneath the guide rollers 27throughout substantially their entire lengths, and the outer ends of theblades 33 are rigidly secured to the bottoms of the bracket ends 26 byscrews 34. The opposite ends of the blades 33 are free from connectionwith the brackets 22 so as to provide narrow passages beneath the guideroller 21 for the marginal portions of the cloth ll, Figure 4. Theblades 33 are preferably somewhat resilient, although they arerelatively stiff, and serve to hold the cloth I I in positive engagementwith the spiked guide rolls.

inwardly directed. tongues or plates 35 are interposed between thebracket ends 25 and blades 33 and have openings receiving the screws 36,which rigidly secure the tongues 35 in place. Inwardly of the bracketends 26, the tongues 35 are upwardly inclined slightly as at 35, Figure7, and the inner inclined ends of the tongues 35 engage the shoulders 3iof the guide rollers and prevent end play of the latter. lhe inclinedtongues also form with the horizontal blades 33 recesses or grooves 37into which the adjacent longitudinal edges of the cloth ii may travelwhen the cloth tends to deviate or wander later-- ally during thewinding operation. The brackets 22 and guide rollers Eli are generallyparallel to the fixed mounting bar it, as shown, but are adapted toadjust themselves angularly with respect to the bar 5?, as will befurther described hereinai'ter.

Horizontal arms 33 are rigidly secured to corresponding sides of thebrackets 22 near their inner ends, and these arms iii are perpendicularto the brackets and guide rollers and extend generally longitudinally ofthe cloth ll. lhe arms 38 are of equal length, as shown, and freelyswingable horizontally with the brackets 22 guide rollers 27. The arms33 are pivotally connected near their ends remote from the brackets tothe bottoms of bearing blocks lit, by means of screws 4E. The bearingblocks 3% have openings t! formed therein for receiving a horizontaltransverse connecting or tie rod Q2. The tops of the blocks 38 areprovided with slots 53 leading into the openings ll, and clamp screws 4dserve to adjustably rigidly secure the bearing blocks 39 to the tie rodas shown. The tie rod 22 is generally parallel to the fixed bar if inall adjusted positions, but is bodily shiftable a hori zontal plane withthe arms 38 during the operation of the guide device.

In use, the bearing blocks 39 are adjusted longitudinally on the tie rodl2 until the arms 38 converge rearwardly slightly, as shown in Figure 2.

The brackets .52 and the guide rollers 27; are now arranged at slightequal angles with respect to the transverse bar ii and have their outerportions extending rearwardly beyond the bar Ill. The rollers 2? aretherefore rearwardly inclined toward their outer ends with respect tothe longitudinal of the cloth l l.

The cloth l i is fed longitudinally between the guide rollers 2i andblades 23 during the winding operation, and as the cloth moves in thedirection of the arrows, the spiked guide rollers are rotated by thecloth. The angularly disposed guide rollers tension the clothtransversely and maintain it free of wrinkles as they guide the cloth ina straight line and minimize any tendency for the cloth to deviatelaterally during the winding.

When the cloth does deviate laterally in one direction, as shown inFigure 3, my guide device functions automatically to correct lateraldeviation and return the cloth to the proper straight line. travel shownin Figure 2. With the cloth deviating laterally, in the direction of thetop of Figure 3, the longtiudinal edge of the cloth ll toward thedirection of deviation enters the groove 31 of the adjacent guide rollerbracket 22. The engagement of the edge of the cloth in this groove 31swings the adjacent bracket 22, at the top of Figures 2 and 3, forwardlyupon its pivot 23 and this bracket and its guide roller 21 are shiftedto the forward angular position, with the outer end of the bracketextending upon the forward side of the bar H. The arm 38 near the top ofFigure 3, now moves rod 62 toward the bottom of Figure 3, and the otherbracket 22 is swung rearwardly from the normal rear position to afurther rear position with repsect to the bar i'l. When the two rollers21 are thus angularly adjusted, as the cloth is pulled forwardly, itwill be shifted laterally from the deviated position toward the bottomof Figure 3 and returned to the normal transverse central position. Theaction of the cloth returning to the normal position, causes the rollers27 to return to the normal position, Figure 2. Should the cloth deviatelaterally in an opposite direction, toward the bottom of Figure 3 of thedrawings, then the bracket 22 at the bottom of Figure 2 would swingforwardly so that its outer end would be arranged upon the forward sideof the bar ll, and the bracket 22 at the top of Figure 2 would be swungrearwardly so that its outer end would be moved further from the bar ii.The action of the angu larly adjusted rollers it? carried by thebrackets 22 would then shift the cloth laterally in an oppositedirection, toward the tops of Figures 2 and 3 and the cloth would bereturned to the normal position. in each case of lateral deviation ofthe cloth, as soon as the longitudinal edge of the cloth contactssufficiently with the tongue 35, upon entering the groove N, thesimultaneous swinging of the brackets 22 occurs and the correctingaction of the cloth guide commences. The device will functionautomatically to maintain a true straight line travel in the cloth H,with lateral deviations so slight that they are unobjectional. Thelateral deviation shown in Figure 3 is greatly exaggerated, merely forthe purpose of illustrating the operation of the device, and practicesubstantially no lateral deviation will occur due to the controlaiforded by the guiding device. As previously stated, the guiding deviceEii maintains the cloth I i flat and taut transversely, so that itcannot wrinkle during the winding operation.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, and arrangement of parts may be resortedto, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of thesubjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. Cloth guiding means comprising a relatively stationary support, guidedevices pivoted to the support near the longitudinal edges of the clothand having passages receiving the longitudinal edges of the cloth andparts to be engaged by said longitudinal edges when the cloth deviateslaterally, arms secured to the guide devices and extending beyondcorresponding sides of the same, and an element connecting the arms forcausing them to turn the guide devices in the same direction in unisonand change their angles relative to the longitudinal edges of the clothwhen the cloth deviates laterally and engages one of said parts of theguide devices.

2. Cloth guiding apparatus comprising a relati-vely stationarysupporting bar extending transversely of the cloth and spaced from oneface of the same, holders pivotally secured to the bar for swingingmovement between the bar and cloth and positioned near the longitudinaledges of the cloth, guide rollers journalled upon the holders anddisposed at angles to the longitudinal edges of the cloth and engagingthe cloth, the holders having parts engageable with the longitudinaledges of the cloth when the cloth deviates laterally for causing theholders and guide rollers to turn upon their pivots, and connectingmeans for the holders so that they will turn with the guide rollers inunison when the cloth deviates laterally, whereby the guide rollers willassume unequal angles to the longitudinal edges of the cloth and causethe cloth to return automatically to a straight line of travel.

3. A cloth guiding apparatus comprising, a support arranged near oneface of the cloth, holders arranged adjacent to said face and extendingtransversely thereof, means to pivotally mount the inner ends of theholders upon the support, the outer ends of the holders being ar rangedadjacent to the longitudinal edges of the cloth, means mounted upon andarranged adjacent to the outer end of each holder for forming a groovedelement for receiving the edge of the fabric when it deviates laterallyso that the movement of the fabric will swing the outer end of theholder in the direction of travel of the fabric, rollers carried by theholders and extending longitudinally of the holders, arms secured to theholders adjacent to their pivots and arranged upon the same side of theholders, and a rod pivotally connected with the arms.

4. A cloth guiding apparatus comprising, a support arranged near oneface of the cloth, holders arranged adjacent to said face and extendingtransversely thereof, means to pivotally mount the holders upon thesupport so that the outer ends of the holders may be swung forwardlywith relation to the travel of the cloth, the outer ends of the holdersbeing arranged adjacent to the longitudinal edges of the cloth, rollerscarried by the holders and extending longitudinally of the holders,means mounted upon each holder and including an element disposedopposite the roller, said element including a grooved part arrangedadjacent to the outer end of the holder for receiving the edge of thefabric when it deviates laterally so that the movement of the fabricwill swing the outer end of the holder in the direction of travel of thefabric, arms secured to the holders, and a rod pivotally connected withthe arms.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 739,968 Wood Sept. 29, 1903 1,262,740 Bolton Apr. 16, 19182,049,276 Tackaberry July 28, 1936 2,096,087 Collidge Oct. 19, 1937

